socialist construction" Li Xiannian spoke out at a meeting of the CPPCC National Committee on 27 May where he blamed ideological confusion for the unrest: "the correct policy put forth by comrade Deng Xiaoping of upholding the four basic principles and opposing bourgeois liberalisation have not been implemented well, resulting in a certain degree of ideological confusion". He also blamed "a few individuals within the leading strata" of the CCP as an important cause of the unrest.
6.
Wan Li, who was on a goodwill visit to Canada and the USA from 12 May to 1 June, cut short his visit and returned to China on 25 May. He landed in Shanghai where he remained for several days for "medical treatment". This fuelled speculation that he was being kept in Shanghai to prevent him holding an emergency session of the MPC Standing Committee, which could reverse the decision on Martial Law. Wan Li returned to Peking on 31 May and has apparently been brought in line. Defence Minister Qin Jiwei was reported by Peking radio to have visited Martial Law units on the outskirts of Peking on 3 June, and urged troops to make Martial Law a success. Qin Jiwei had been remarkably silent when the decision to declare Martial Law was made and had kept a very low profile up until this "appearance".
After the enforcement of Martial Law
7. In the immediate aftermath of the massacre in and around Tiananmen Square on 4 June rumours were rife. Li Peng was said to have survived an assassination attempt by one of the Zhongnanhai guards, in which he was shot in the leg, and Deng Xiaoping was said to have died. On 4 June a Supreme Court message supporting the CCP Central Committee decision to put down the "counter revolutionary rebellion" was addressed to Qiao Shi and the Standing Committee of the CCP Politburo. This was taken to indicate that Qiao had taken over from Zhao Ziyang as General Secretary of the CCP or would do so soon. (On 12 June Peking television reported Qiao Shi visiting wounded Martial Law troops "on behalf of the Party Central Committee".)
8. The Leadership re-emerged on 9 June at a televised meeting in Zhongnanhai to receive commanders of the Martial Law enforcement troops. Of the Politburo Standing Committee member only Zhao Ziyang and Hu Qili did not appear. Deng Xiaoping appeared frail and on one occasion had to be prompted by Li Peng. Most of his speech was read out on television by an announcer. He said that "this incident has prompted us to review the past and consider the future with a very cool head" and went on to say "a line, principles and policies pursued since the 3rd plenary session of the 11th CCP Central Committee are correct". made no mention of the 13th Party Congress line. Also
He
VC6AFB